Last year though I stayed decently warm there were some days I was chilly and those days I was warm I had a TON of gear on.  I will be bow hunting all season except for one day of gun season (tradition) so I want to be able to move and hunt w/ my bow without wearing the 19 layers I normally do for gun hunting.  I also want to stay very warm so I can shoot my bow properly (hate getting cold and to stiff to draw!)

I have narrowed down some problemed areas and realized I was still wearing the same old cotten thermals and thats the reason I was getting cold.  I sweat alot and love to hunt in the rain so I figured this would be a good combo.  I have an under armore cold weather shirt I will be testing this year and may invest in the pants but I think this should be enoughf or even the coldest days.

The scent blocker stuff does nothing for me so that is an option I can do without those are the only versions I have found.

Just curious what you guys think and if you could provide me with some other thermal/base layer options other then the ones I have provided.

These are the outerwears I think I will be purchasing this winter...investing in wool.

Wool Bibs
Wool Jacket

And these were the under layers I was looking at...I really dont care about the scent blocker to be honest with ya this is the only version I found like these.  

thermal base
wool upper

Three rivers has some nice merino wools uppers and bottoms.

http://www.3riversarchery.com/Thumb.asp?c=50&s=222&p=247

Sitka Gear may be a good choice to try for under layer as well as reduce some of the bulk. I plan to try some this year for all my mountain hunting and all-day cold weather tree stand hunting for deer in December.
Mike

I like the wool underwear and Smartwool's products are tops. Check these out
https://www.smartwool.com/default.cfm

Pure silk bottom layer touching skin,under armore over that and then polypro. over that, and then wool to cover,or manmade materials that have good insulating and wind stopping property keeps me good to go.jonesy

A word about the Under Armour.The stuff has to breath to dry out, though it dries fast. I usually just wear the shirt while hiking in, then let myself cool down a bit once into my spot. Then I put on a fleece lined wool sweater from Cabela's. I wear the armour pants too. Then a wool bib. Top it off with a nice wool hat. Few layers, great warmth.  Oh yeah, the sweater has wind shear in it. Makes a huge difference.

I wore UA last season and always walked with no jacket and packedmost of my layers in no matter how cold it was b/c I sweat alot.  Thats great advise!!

Thanks for all the options ya'll I'll go check em all out now heh!

ANOTHER QUICK QUESTION...

For anoyone who has the columbia bibs/jacket.  How is the sizing of these garments?  I'm a short stocky bastad (5'6" 190lbs) and am curious if I should go w/ the large or the extra large?  I have short arms and legs and if these are thick I might need some extra length to get them to bend but it may just end up being to big.  Anyone who owns them curious how the sizing goes thanks!

TTT

Tom i have a pair of Columbia wool pants that are 32" waist, i normally wear a 31 and these are roomy so i would have to say they are right on for size. If they offer hemming, get that done i did mine myself and left to much material in the cuff. That made them bulky to tuck in to my boots, they are a pretty thick material. For the price you can't go wrong with them.

Thanks Jim!!

Poly longjohns or UA are great choices for undergarments. The wool bibs and coat are another great choice. I wear a large and the fit is good, 6'1 205. The windshear sweater or jacket can make a world of difference in how warm you stay. Make sure you keep your head and feet warm too. Layer your feet like you do the rest of you and make sure your feet can breath. Glenn

Three Rivers is also having a sale on wool...may be worth checking into.

Steve

QuoteOriginally posted by Steve P:
Three Rivers is also having a sale on wool...may be worth checking into.

Steve

I've heard this from several people but I only find like 5 garments on the entire site and it says nothing about a sale.  Is it only in the catolog or via email or something?

I may be "differant" having hunted in "North" all of my life.....

Before I spent a ton of money on 2 pieces of top quality wool camo. I would go to my local Good Will store and pick up 2 or 3 (or 4) heavy 100% wool sweaters.

I have seen MANY years that the hunting season has been in the high 60's and 70's (degrees)

I can honestly say that "almost" always 2 wool sweaters under my normal hunting clothes has kept me warm in the coldest weather (cotton camo cargo pants,2 sweaters covered with a 3XL long sleeve T-shirt and a good wool hat. Temps in the 20's and 30's with light to medium wind)

Last year calling coyotes in Febuary, I wore wool pants and 3 wool sweaters under a Nat-Gear Snow Camo parka shell and pants.

My point being.....It is easier to stuff a wool sweater in your pack incase you "might get cold" than to wear a heavy wool coat and bibs "becaue it's supposed to be cold" and then be hot and sweaty all day.

BTW Tom.....You and I are in the same boat (I'm 5' 7" 250lbs)

I ended up buying a used greywolf coat, otherwise i would have bought the Columbia for real cold weather. Chuck has a valid point about the weather conditions in the earlier part of the season. I myself have shopped at my local salvation army and other thrift shops and bought some cheap sweaters of 100% wool. I love them, i keep looking for cheap wool pants also just because i like to have extra stuff just in case. I still like the Columbia wool pants , they have double knees that make it nice when you have to kneel to shoot, I liked them so much i wore them as long as i could get away with it this spring for turkey just because they were so comfortable. I do like vintage woolrich pants the ones that lace or have elastic on the pant cuffs. They tuck in the boots real nice.

Tom by the way i looked on three rivers and only saw a few items, i don't know why they do that because last i knew they had a better variety of wool, try to call them on the phone. Bass pro has good prices on Columbia that is were i bought my pants from. I think that cabals has free hemming though.

Thanks for the info guys!  I will search down some good will stores in my area...there aren't to many of them around but I'll find them buggas!  I may decide not to get the jacket and maybe just get the bibs for this season.  If I can get a couple nice sweatshirts that fit properly I'll def go with that...I hate wearing jackets to begin with so if thats at all possible I'm game heh.

I hate wearing pants in the winter though...Im a die hard bibs guy b/c them cold gusts of winds shooting up my back kills me.  I'm not a regular sit and shutup hunter I'm all over the place crawling sneeking up on massive freezing rocks all over the place bending and twisting and bibs just work that much more for me!

In the early season I have light weight pants and a shirt I wear b/c its ussually 70-80 degrees and those will last me right till about mid to end ovtoberish then novemeber through january I will wear my heavy gear.

I hunt in Ontario, where it can get a tad chilly. For say, hunting in December (the last month of our season) I wear polypro "sweatpants" under wool pants, and a polypro sweater, a polypro vest and a Gray Wolf wool jacket with the wind liner in it.

Now also, if it's been -20 C and some wind for a while, -10 and no wind seems positively balmy...

I would seriously recommend a base layer that includes silver metal thread.  Just make sure you don't wear cotton briefs underneath them (it negates the effect).  I've used the lightweight X-Scent/X-Static polypro against my skin for about a year and have been amazed:

1. They kill my scent.  Antimicrobial action of silver ions means I can wear them several times longer without smelling body odour.
2. They redistribute heat.  Again, silver is the best thermal conductor,  - keeping me not too hot; not too cold.  I wore only these base layers plus my fanny pack in 15* Celsius weather last Saturday in Saskatchewan.  I was warm!
3. They wick water well from skin.
4. They're machine-washable, and dry very quickly - even in air.
5. They'r anti-static.  Again, because of the silver.

Medalist "Silvermax" clothing uses X-Static silver too.  ATB-100 Silver (made by Kolon company in Korea) is what Sitka Gear and Franklin cycling products use.  I'm sure they'll perform similarilly well.

I just bought the Heavyweight Ingenius™ Socks from Cabela's:   I like that they combine silver technology with an olefin wicking layer, and then Merino wool!